Cannabis plants. Photo by Crystalweed Cannabis/Unsplash/Creative Commons (RNS) — A cannabis church in Southern California — which was shut down by the county of San Bernardino over accusations it was illegally functioning as a dispensary — is taking its fight to reopen to the state Supreme Court, arguing that it uses cannabis for religious healing. After the case was dismissed by a lower court, attorney Matthew Pappas petitioned the California Supreme Court on Thursday (Oct. 20) on behalf of April Elizabeth Mancini, a minister of the church. “Religious rights are important and they’re important to the members of that church,” Pappas told Religion News Service. “I’m not sure the California Supreme Court will make the ultimate determination. I think it might require us to go to the U.S. Supreme Court.” Daily religion news, straight to your inbox. Subscribe today. Jah Healing Kemetic Temple of the Divine Church, which has its primary place of worship in Big Bear, California, claims it’s Christian and “believes that the fragrant cane ingredient of the holy anointing oil described in Exodus 30:22 is cannabis,” according to the petition. The church is part of the Sacramental Life Churches, an organization with an ecclesiastic form of […]
